Patrick clines



(No Model.)

P. CLINES. TREE PROTECTOR.

Patented Peb. 6,- 1894 we mman/n. Lrruoasumuma connu".

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PATRICK CLINES, OFl MARTINSBURG, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO THOMAS J. LOWDER, OF SAME PLACE. v

TREE'- PROTECTOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 514,306,6.ated February 6, 1894.

Application filed August 28, 1893. Serial No. 484.195. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, PATRICK CLINEs, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Martinsburg, in the county of Audrain and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tree-Protectors; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in to the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which- ,n

Figure 1 is a perspective View of my improved tree protector, as it appears when in use. Fig. 2 is a side view of the same, showing it removed from the tree as when not in use, and with part of the base-plate broken away. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the zo device. Fig. 4.is a cross section of the same on line in Fig. 2; and Fig. 5 is a cross section on line y-y, same figure.

Like letters of reference denote corresponding parts in all the figures.

This invention relates lto tree protectors of that type which consist of a tubular guard or casing, of wire or wire netting, encircling the trunk of young trees to protect the bark and prevent it from abrasion and other injury by 3o animals, vermin and injurious insects; and my improvement consists in the ,novel and speciiic construction and combination of parts of a tree protector of that particular class, as -will be hereinafter more fully described and 3 5 claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, the reference letter A denotes the trunk of a tree and B the body of the protector. This con sists of a piece of wire cloth, of suitable size 4o and of sufficiently fine mesh to prevent beetles, borers, and otherinsects from getting through it, the edges of which overlap, as shown at b and b-, so that it may be fitted upon and around tree trunks of different di- 4-5 mensions. The lower end of this tubular wire guard B is clamped between the two sides O and C of a plate of zinc, copper, or other metal not easily rusted or corroded by burying in the ground; said plate being in the na- 5o ture of a strip of metal which is doubled upon itself and soldered along its upper inner edges to the lower edge of the wire fabric B. At the upper end of the latter, on the inner side e. the side facing the tree trunk) is fastened" permanently a strip made of several layers or thicknesses of suitable textile fabric, D,which overlaps the upper edge of the wire-fabric B, as shown at D; the fastening hooks ol connecting the inner and outer sides or edges of the textile fabric through the wire netting B, so that this soft fabric will form a soft collar encircling the tapering upper'end or neck of the wire-guard B, and impinging upon vthe tree A. ln other wordsi this collar D D', as

vwell asthe circular doubled base-plate C O',

form permanent parts of my improved protector. j

Instead of forming the metal base by doubling a plate of metal, C C', upon itself, this base may bev formed by a single thickness, (using, in that case, a plate of somewhat thicker metal) and forming a joint between the upper edge of the plate and the lower edge or rim of the wire fabric by bending and overlapping the edge of the plate O over the lower edge of the wire fabric, as illustrated in the detail view Fig. 3a on the right-hand side of Fig. 3.

To use this device, the wire-fabric guard B is folded around the trunk A of the tree, as shown in the drawings, in such a manner that the inner side D of the collar at its upper end will fit closely against tho tree, but leaving sonne space, as shown at a, between the inner side of the guard and the tree. The iiexible base-plate C is spread out above the roots of the tree, and sunk some distance into the ground, so that the protector-will taper up wardly from the ground toward the point where the neck D D encircles the tree. In this manner the annular space ct is closed both at Vthe top and bottom, so that, while the air and moisture have free ingress and an unobstructed circulation around the tree, injurious insects and other vermin cannot get access to it. As the tree increases in size, the protector may be adjusted to tit the increased diameter of the trunk byvunfastening the S-shaped hooks d at the neck D D and down along the overlapping sides of the wire IOO tube B, spreading this, with the annular baseplate C C at its bottom, `out to the proper size, and then readjusting the hooks.

The object of the closely fitting collar D D is two-fold, viz: to prevent fraying of the upper edge of the wire tube, by overlapping and covering the same on both sides, and also to form a soft packing between the upper end of the tubular wire-fabric guard and the inside tree trunk, so as to close ingress to the air-space d from above. The object of the annular metal base U C is also two-fold, viz: to prevent fraying of the lower end of the wire-fabric tube, or rusting ot the sameby coming in direct contact with the ground, and to forni a stiff support for the lower end of the protector, so as to maintain the same in its proper position. I prefer to cover this plate with a coat of some suitable paint or composition, to still further protect it from corrosion; and,if desired, an inside packing, as shown at E, so as to form a soft and yielding cushion or bearing at the point where it impinges against the tree.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that this device can be manufactured and sold at a small cost, so as to place it within the reach of all farmers and fruit growers. As it is adjustable, it can be made to tit trees of varying dimensions, or to fit the saine tree on which it was originally placed as this increases in size. It forms aperfect protection against the attacks of all kinds of injurious insects, owing to the fine mesh of the wire fabric, without excluding the necessary light, air or moisture. It can be applied to a tree, and again removed, in a few moments; and when not in use, it can be rolled up into a c ompact bundle so as to occupy but very little space.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States-w The improved tree protector herein shown and described comprising the guard B, of wire netting, the annular base plate C, C', consisting of astrip of metal doubled upon itself and embracing the lower end of the guard which is soldered thereto, the collar D, D', of textile material encircling and overlapping the upper edge of said guard and adapted to impinge upon the trunk of the tree encircled by the guard, and the adjustable S-shaped hooks, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereunto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

PATRICK CLINES.

Witnesses:

CHAs. T. PEYTON, CONRAD J. SELHoRs'r. 

